Denise Welch goes public with toyboy Lincoln Townley just four weeks after splitting from husband Tim Healy

It was just under four weeks ago, a tearful Denise Welch announced she had separated from husband Tim Healy.

But after months of keeping him a secret, the Loose Women panellist finally went public with toyboy lover Lincoln Townley at a star-studded party on Thursday night.

The Celebrity Big Brother winner, 53, and party planner Townley, 39, looked happy to be out together in public after months of hiding their romance.

Going public: Denise Welch and new boyfriend Lincoln Townley attend the cast change party for the Wizard Of Oz at the London Palladium

Wearing a red dress, Welch cosied up to Townley at the cast change party for the Wizard Of Oz musical at the London Palladium.

The couple joined members of McFly, Robie Savage, Nancy Dell'Olio, Kara Tointon and Gareth Gates at the bash.

Welch admitted last month she had been separated from Benidorm star husband Healy, 60, 'for some time' after she was accused of having an affair with Townley.

The actress had been secretly dating Townley since meeting in a London nightclub last April.

Camera-shy: Townley stayed in the background as Welch smiled for the paparazzi outside the theatre

Split: Welch and Tim Healy put on a show of unity a week before announcing their split

When she was first linked to Townley in the tabloids in late January, she initially ignored the reports and put on a show of unity with Healy, who she married in 1988.

But on February 6, she broke down as she revealed she had split from Healy live on Loose Women.

She said: 'I just want to say, this is going to be really difficult for me... My family made a decision that we would talk about this today. Tim and I separated some time ago.

'So I'm not having an affair, we have been living our own lives for some time now.

'I just wanted to thank everybody. Tim and I feel a sense of relief that we don't have to hide this anymore. We've actually become better friends since we've made the decision but we wanted to have Christmas with the family without telling anybody.

'We're all just going to move forward as a family. Tim and I are still going to be co-parents and we love each other very much.'

Welch had previously admitted to having an affair in 2004 with carpenter Steve Murray.

Share or comment on this article:

Denise Welch goes public with toyboy Lincoln Townley just four weeks after splitting from husband Tim Healy